Hi,I've been lurking here for sometime,I like it and have learned much.A recent thread about living at home after the big one got me thinking about gas leaks,and thought I'd share what know and have seen.<br><br>Gas leaks/fumes calls are the most comman call I go on as a firefighter,I must be up to over 1,000 of them easy.99% of the time very minor,leak at the stove etc.some broken lines and one house that blew up and we pulled 2 dead people out of that burning pile of rubble.<br><br>Here's some things to keep in mind,without a meter you don't know what you got, you can be "pretty sure"its minor,but you can't be 100%.In normal times,leave don't turn on/off any thing including phones and flashlights,call the gas company/911 from a neighbors.<br><br>Gas rises,what seems light downstrairs can be quite a bit more upstairs always open the top windows first when venting.It has a very narrow explosive range,its to rich or to lean to blow,most of the time,without a meter you just don't know what you got.<br><br>Too rich is the most dangerous,because as it disapates it will pass though the explosive range.You come home find a heavy smell of gas,shut off the main and go outside,a little later you stick your head inside,"oh come on in dear its cleared out alot"...BOOM.<br><br>Now in times of natural disasters,like an earthquake there will be lots of broken gas lines and very slow (or no) responce from fire and or the gas company.Do what you feel is best,just keep these things in mind.<br><br>

Absoutely dead right on - great explanation and well written. LP gas is a completely different story, of course.<br><br>Thirdpig, hmmm? Brick house... no wolves... nice.

After the Northridge quake here in L.A. about 8 years ago, I told someone NOT to turn off the gas to their home unless they had reason to believe that they had a gas leak.<br><br>Of course a helpful neighbor came along and convinced them that they should turn it off till the gas company could come out and assure them that they didn't have a leak.<br><br>They turned the gas off, which of course, requires the gas company to come out and turn it back on.<br><br>Was I right, or was the "helpful" neighbor?<br><br>Thanks<br> Seth

Am I mistaken or isn't there a special tool needed to secure the gas outside? I thought I read there's a special wrench, but my husband insists that only the gas company has the tool(s) to do it.<br> I'm not looking for a War Between the Sexes, I just want to be safe in case we have a problem! <br>Thanks--<br>

Anyone can turn the gas OFF.<br><br>The "special" wrench is nothing more than a metal bar with a slot in it. The slot fits over similar looking stud on the valve. The bar has now become a handle and you turn the valve. You can do the same with a good sized crescent wrench, or a pair of pliers.<br><br>My understanding is that only the gas company can turn the gas back on. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this.<br><br>In many areas, you can get a replacement valve that will automatically turn off with a shock (earthquake etc.) of greater than a certain magnitude. Of course these must be professionally installed.

Thanks for the info, Schaz. Will check my gas pipe outside and make sure I know what I'm doing!

You generally need neither a special tool to turn on or off the main gas valve. They are usually a very simple and reliable on/off valve similar to a ball valve. A quarter turn is all that it needed. The "bar" (spoken earlier in this thead) is usually running in the same direction as the pipe. You will use this "bar" to put your wrenchn on to turn the vale's iner workings. This is in the on position, to turn it off you take your cresent wrench ( which a lot of people now have chained to the main gas supply pipe ) and thurn it one quarter turn until the "bar" now runs at a 90 degree to the supply pipe. <br>You can just as easy reverse the process to turn it back on. BUT DO NOT. The reason is that when the gas is shut off it extinguishes all the pilot lights in the stove, hot water heater and furnace, etc. These need to be relit by a knowlegable person or preferably by a liecenced gas fitter. After the big one is not the time to try and learn this skill and do it for the first time. <br><br>So. Go ahead and get a large pipe or cresent wench and attach it to or near the gas service. Either get a licenced gas fitter to take you through the process beforhand or just shut it off when the time comes and wait for the right help to turn it on and relight the appliances when their time is available